Gina Musser is a San Francisco Bay Area visual artist whose work has been featured primarily in the theatre, dance, and music communities. Her recent work has consisted of life-sized sculptures, some of wire, and others of soft materials, all created in support of inspiring individuals and enterprises in which she believes.
She was born into a large and extended family that had immigrated from Sicily during the 1920s. The family soon established itself in the widerBay Area business community, launching the careers of cousins, aunts, and uncles who became politicians, business owners, and even one well-known jazz musician Dave Brubeck, who was a member of the extended family. Hard work, commitment, and honor were the ideals by which the family lived, and this legacy has defined how Gina has worked and created her career.
She found herself immersed in the vibrant Portland music and theatre scene of the ‘70s and ‘80s that launched the careers of many artists. She was part of a team of costume makers for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and became known for her ability to work with odd materials – such as fashioning extreme shoulder pads out of radial tires. This ability to find beauty in mundane objects informs her present work. Back in the Bay Area, she later designed costumes for San Francisco choreographer and dance and legend Ed Mock.